Written Answers

Friday 1 December 2000

Scottish Executive

Adult Literacy

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to address the issue of adult illiteracy in the workplace.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Raising literacy levels in the workplace is one of the issues that will be considered by the Literacy 2000 Team in their report to Ministers in December. To inform their recommendations, the team has commissioned research which assesses:

  the attitudes of employers, employees and unemployed to literacy levels in the workplace;

  whether literacy demands are increasing, and

  what would motivate or prevent individuals from seeking help.

  £22.5 million will be available over the next three years from March 2001 to raise literacy and numeracy levels and support the recommendations of the Literacy 2000 Team.

  The Training for Work programme helps adults who have been unemployed for over six months to improve their work-related skills. The Scottish Executive has been consulting on the best contribution the programme can make to promoting individual employability and lifelong learning in the workplace, including enhancing the help provided with literacy, numeracy and other basic skills.

Adult Literacy

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies were invited to take part in its employer survey on adult literacy in the labour market.

Ms Wendy Alexander: 14,883 employers received a letter to inform them that the survey was being conducted and that they may be asked to take part in a telephone interview. 6,915 companies were contacted by telephone to invite them to take part in an interview. 1,500 interviews with companies were completed.

Adult Literacy

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the results of its employer survey on adult literacy in the labour market will be published.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The report of the employer survey on adult literacy will be published early next year.

Adult Literacy

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of employing consultants to undertake its employer survey on adult literacy in the labour market.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The total cost was £57,471 (excluding VAT).

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when (a) Glasgow Airport and (b) Edinburgh Airport will reach their maximum operating capacities according to current projections of the growth of air traffic.

Sarah Boyack: This is a matter for the British Airports Authority (BAA), the owner and operator of Edinburgh and Glasgow Airports.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a public service obligation (PSO) could be imposed on every internal air route within the Highlands and Islands; if not, on which routes a PSO could not be imposed, and why a PSO could not be imposed on any such routes.

Sarah Boyack: A member state, with the agreement of the European Commission, can impose a PSO on any route which meets the stated criteria set out in EC Regulation 2408/92. The criteria are contained within Article 4.1(a) – (d) of the Regulation. These involve the public interest, the availability of other forms of transport, air fares/conditions for users and carriers operating or intending to operate on the route.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to reduce the passenger service charge at Inverness Airport and what the reasons are for any such decision.

Sarah Boyack: Any airport charges levied for the use of Inverness Airport are a matter for Highland and Islands Airports Ltd, the airport operator.

Autism

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children under the age of 12 are registered as having autism, broken down by local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is provided in the table below:

  


Local Authority 


Pupils with Autism 




Scotland 


658 




Aberdeen City 


33 




Aberdeenshire 


51 




Angus 


7 




Argyll & Bute 


12 




Clackmannanshire 


 * 




Dumfries & Galloway 


14 




Dundee City 


 6 




East Ayrshire 


 * 




East Dunbartonshire 


17 




East Lothian 


 11 




East Renfrewshire 


17 




Edinburgh, City of 


55 




Eilean Siar 


 * 




Falkirk 


 15 




Fife 


 42 




Glasgow City 


 77 




Highland 


 71 




Inverclyde 


 13 




Midlothian 


 14 




Moray 


 21 




North Ayrshire 


 9 




North Lanarkshire 


41 




Orkney Islands 


 * 




Perth & Kinross 


 15 




Renfrewshire 


 24 




Scottish Borders 


7 




Shetland Islands 


70 




South Ayrshire 


 8 




South Lanarkshire 


38 




Stirling 


 * 




West Dunbartonshire 


 * 




West Lothian 


13 




  Notes:

  1. The data was collected by the annual school census in September 1998.

  2. The above information includes:

  i. children attending special schools with Autistic Spectrum Disorder recorded as their main difficulty in learning, whether or not they have a formal Record of Needs. Pupil age was based on the census date of 14 September 1998.

  ii. children attending mainstream primary schools with Autistic Spectrum Disorder recorded as their main difficulty in learning, who have a Record of Needs. Dates of birth are not available for these pupils – all pupils attending primary schools have therefore been considered as within the scope of the question whereas those at secondary have not.

  3. These figures don’t include pupils with autism that also have another learning difficulty which is recorded as their main difficulty. They also don’t include any pupils with autism attending mainstream primary schools but who have not had a Record of Needs established. Children with autism but who are not attending school are not included - they may be too young to attend school or they may be educated elsewhere.

  4. In order to preserve confidentiality and in keeping with normal statistical practice, figures have been suppressed for cells with less than five pupils. These have been indicated by a *.

  5. These figures include pupils attending both publicly funded and independent schools.

  6. Where a pupil attends a special needs school in one local authority but is funded by a different local authority, the pupil has been shown under the funding authority. All pupils attending primary schools are shown under the local authority of that school.

Child Abuse

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what training social work staff receive in identifying and treating survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

Malcolm Chisholm: All student social workers, on Diploma in Social Work courses, receive training on the range and impact of physical, social, sexual and emotional neglect and abuse. This should enable qualified social workers to identify sexual abuse in adult survivors. The treatment of survivors of sexual abuse is complex and social workers require training at post-qualifying level to deal with it.

Children

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8124 by Susan Deacon on 25 October 2000 and the figures published in table 8.5:1 of the Scottish Health Statistics published by the Registrar General for Scotland which shows an increase from 48 in 1997 to 67 in 1998, what is being done to address the 40% increase in accidental deaths of children under 15.

Susan Deacon: Scottish Health Statistics 1999 , published in February this year, indicates that the number of such deaths declined from 67 in 1998 to 47 in 1999. This underlines that, where numbers are relatively small, there can be a degree of volatility from one year to the next. Over the 1990s the trend has been encouragingly downwards, although the Executive is not complacent about the picture presented by these figures, as the following examples illustrate.

  Schoolchildren are a particular target audience for fire safety messages and Scottish fire brigades have developed a number of educational packages. The Executive has funded an interactive website for primary schools.

  On 1 March, the Scottish Executive and UK Government announced targets for road accident casualty reductions in the period to 2010 including a 40% reduction in the number of fatal and serious casualties and a 50% reduction in those involving children. These targets are underpinned by a Great Britain-wide strategy Tomorrow’s Roads – Safer for Everyone. The Executive also provides funding to the Scottish Road Safety Campaign to develop road safety education resources and publicity measures, many of which are aimed at children.

  Copies of Tomorrow’s Roads – Safer for Everyone and the Scottish Road Safety Campaign’s Annual Report are held in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Consultancy Costs

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was paid by the Scottish Office to consultants in each year from 1995-96 to 1998-99 and how many separate contracts were involved.

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it paid to consultants in 1999-2000 and how many separate contracts were involved.

Angus MacKay: The table below gives details of estimated expenditure on external consultants from 1995-96. Information on the number of contracts involved is not held centrally. Arrangements are, however, being introduced to collect this data in future.

  


(£ million) 




1995-96 


1996-97 


1997-98 


1998-99 


1999-2000 




£5.4 


£3.0 


£2.1 


£1.7 


£2.6

Consultancy Costs

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many contracts let to external consultants and advisors in (a) 1997-98 and (b) 1998-99 were (i) put out to competitive tender; (ii) not put out to competitive tender, and (iii) let on a non-commercial basis, specifying in each case the names of the individuals or organisations which carried out work and the value of the contract, and what the total value was of all contracts in each of the categories in each of the years above.

Angus MacKay: I refer Mr Wallace to the answer given to question S1W-6883. In respect of (i), (ii) and (iii) the information requested is not held centrally. Arrangements are, however, being introduced to collect this data in future.

Drug Misuse

Mr Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it is setting for tackling drug misuse in Scotland.

Iain Gray: The Executive’s vision, in line with our national drugs strategy Tackling Drugs in Scotland: Action in Partnership, is of   a Scotland whose people choose healthy lifestyles free from the harm of drug misuse. The additional £100 million funding over the next three years that we announced recently boosts the work already underway, which is outlined in the Executive’s Drugs Action Plan.  These resources give the opportunity to make substantial progress towards the achievement of our vision. I shall make a further announcement in January about how the additional resources in Scotland’s first three-year budget for drugs will be used.

  In an area as important as drug misuse, targets need to be challenging and ambitious. They highlight what can and should be done by the Executive, by agencies, by communities and by individuals. We have set targets and standards spanning the four pillars of the drugs strategy: action concerning young people, communities, treatment and availability. We have drawn these up in consultation with the drugs field, the Scottish Advisory Committee on Drug Misuse and with MSPs.

  In developing targets and standards we have had to take into account the availability of data to measure success. Targets need to be specific and timed. Information about drug misuse is improving, but it is not yet comprehensive. We have a Drug Misuse Information Strategy, under which a number of initiatives will give us a clearer picture of the problem and how we are coping with it, data about the availability of drugs, about prevalence in schools and the wider population, and about treatment services and treatment outcomes. From 1 April 2001, we shall have national performance indicators and baseline data for all the targets set, with supporting local data, where local targets are required.

  As new and better information emerges, we shall look at whether the targets we have set are in the right areas and whether other targets are also required. Targets will be set in Scottish prisons next year, following baseline data collection this year.

  We are setting the following national targets, which will be subject to local target setting:

  Reverse the upward trend in drug-related deaths and reduce the total number by at least 25% by 2005.

  Reduce repeat offending by increasing the number of drug misusing offenders entering treatment from criminal justice diversion and community disposals by 40% by 2004.

  Reduce the proportion of drug misusers who inject by 20% by 2005.

  Increase the number of drug misusers in contact with drug treatment and care services in the community by at least 10% every year until 2005.

  Reduce the proportion of injecting drug users sharing needles and syringes by 20% by 2005, and reduce the percentage of injecting drug users testing positive for hepatitis C by 20% by 2005.

  Increase the number of drug seizures by 25% by 2004.

  Increase the number of offences recorded by Scottish police forces for supply or possession with intent to supply drugs by 25% by 2004.

  Drug misuse poses problems throughout the whole of Scotland. However they are not always the same problems with the same solutions at the same time. The national targets will guide local target setting and we will be providing detailed guidance for Drug Action Teams on what we expect from them in the way of local targets, depending on their local situation.

  In addition we are setting targets for young people, which will not be subject to local target setting, because their achievement will depend on a wide range of influences in society as a whole, efforts by many agencies and UK-wide and international co-operation. The Executive is therefore laying down challenges to all concerned to reduce the number of youngsters being offered or using illegal drugs:

  To reduce the proportion of people under 25 reporting use of illegal drugs in the last month and previous year substantially, and heroin use by 25%, by 2005.

  To reduce the proportion of young people under 25 who are offered illegal drugs significantly, and heroin by 25%, by 2005.

  These are targets to guide all our efforts, in particular to clamp down on the drugs such as heroin that cause the greatest harm. The action that we are taking on all fronts of the strategy matches their importance. We shall monitor and report on progress towards achieving them, and do more if we need to.

  We are also setting the following national standards:

  All schools to provide drug education to every pupil and to have written procedures for managing incidents of drug misuse, in line with national advice, by 2002.

  All local authorities to have an agreed written policy on drug misuse applying to community education settings, covering drug education and the management of incidents of drug misuse by 2002.

  All DATs and Area Child Protection Committees to have in place local policies on support to drug misusing parents and their children, in line with national guidance, by 2002. National guidance on support to drug misusing parents and their children to be published by the Scottish Executive in 2001.

  All DATs with Social Inclusion Partnership and Community Safety Partnerships to have mechanisms in place for joint working, by 2002.

  Every Local Health Care Co-operative or Primary Care Trust to have a locally approved shared care (or equivalent) scheme by 2004.

  All DATs to ensure that drug misusers aged under 16 have access to drug treatment and care services which are in line with national guidance by 2004.

  Monitoring

  The Executive will monitor national and local progress in meeting targets and standards, through the annual DAT corporate planning arrangements.

  Monitoring of progress on implementing the drugs strategy will not depend solely on the monitoring of targets however. We shall continue to use annual DAT reporting to review action in support of all of our national objectives and to ensure that both existing and new resources devoted to drug misuse are used wisely.

  Taken together, the Executive’s drugs strategy, national objectives, major investment of resources and now a framework of targets and standards, provide a powerful response to the problems of drug misuse that face us all today.

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many publicly funded schools have met or exceeded their examination targets as set by the Scottish Executive in the last three years.

Mr Jack McConnell: Schools have set their own targets in agreement with local authorities for the three-year period from 1998-2001. The information as requested is not available; targets are not set annually and information showing progress towards schools’ three-year targets is only available for the first year of the initiative (1998-99). This is set out in the table below. Information on progress towards Standard Grade and Higher targets at local authority level for the period 1997-99 is set out in Raising Standards – Setting Targets: Setting Targets in Scottish Schools: National and Education Authority Information 1999 . (A copy is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre, Bib. no. 3938).

  





1995-97
(Based on 391 Schools) 


1996-98
(Based on 391
Schools) 


1997-99
(Based on 389 Schools) 




Target Measure 


Attaining or Exceeding Level set for 2000-01 


Not Yet at Level 


Attaining or Exceeding Level set for 2000-01 


Not Yet at Level 


Attaining or Exceeding Level set for 2000-01 


Not Yet at Level 




SG English 1-6 


80 


299 


114 


265 


162 


217 




SG Mathematics 1-6 


77 


302 


113 


266 


150 


229 




5+ SGs 1-6 


30 


349 


61 


318 


98 


281 




5+ SGs 1-4 


12 


367 


34 


345 


91 


288 




5+ SGs 1-2 


6 


373 


26 


353 


89 


290 




3+ HGs A-C 


7 


372 


36 


343 


64 


315 




5+ HGs A-C 


24 


355 


46 


333 


67 


312 




  SG (Standard Grade). HG (Higher Grade).

  Notes:

  1. Performance against targets is measured using a three-year rolling average.

  2. Targets were set for 2000-01 and as such are not expected to be attained until that time. Conversely, it will not necessarily be the case that schools attaining or exceeding their targets at present will attain or exceed them in 2000-01.

  3. It should be noted that the figures giving the level of performance averaged across 1995-97 and 1996-98 relate to examination performance which pre-dates any planned programme of improvement associated with the setting-targets initiative. The first year in which examination performance was directly influenced by the setting-targets initiative was 1999.

  4. 1995-97, 1996-98 and 1997-99 figures are all based upon post-appeal data.

Enterprise

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has had to the Teaching Companies Scheme operated by the Department of Trade and Industry in Scotland.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: The Scottish Executive makes a very substantial input into TCS (formerly the Teaching Company Scheme) in Scotland.

  The Scottish Executive is one of 11 TCS Sponsors, together with five other Government Departments (DTI is the lead sponsor) and five Research Councils. It is sponsors who jointly provide the funding for TCS and decide upon scheme policy and qualifying criteria.

  The Scottish Executive acts as a liaison point for the activities of TCS consultants and the three TCS Centres in Scotland.

Enterprise

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to promote the creation of an enterprise zone running parallel to the proposed M74 north extension to assist economic enhancement of the area.

Sarah Boyack: No. However, the Scottish Executive recognises the potential for economic development and regeneration alongside the proposed M74 northern extension. Discussions with the three councils involved are ongoing.

Enterprise

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to introduce a scheme similar to one announced by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment to give cash bonuses to small businesses who achieve the position of three quarters of their staff participating in subsidised training schemes.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I am keen to explore ways of encouraging owners and employees of small businesses to take up more learning opportunities and in particular to encourage them to take advantage of the financial incentives now available through Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs).

  I am aware of the recent announcement by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment but it related solely to the piloting of an ILA-linked small firms grant scheme in the Lincolnshire/Leicestershire area. My officials are already considering how best small businesses in Scotland can be encouraged to use ILAs and any action that needs to be taken.

Ferry Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the advice it sought and obtained regarding the requirement of European legislation and directives to put CalMac routes out to tender and to do so on a two-thirds route basis and whether (a) any such advice was from within its own offices and its own legal advisors; (b) it has obtained any independent advice from members of the Scottish Bar, and (c) it has obtained any advice from European law experts; whether it will provide full details of the advice, and what are the specific sections of the legislation or directives which require this process to take place.

Sarah Boyack: The general policy of the Scottish Executive is that it does not disclose legal advice, nor the fact that it has taken legal advice. It is not considered that there is any reason to depart from that policy in this case.

Ferry Services

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review its decision to make Superfast the preferred operator for the Rosyth ferry contract given the company’s safety record and the recent fatalities on a Superfast Greece-Italy ferry.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Scottish Enterprise do not have any plans to review their decision to appoint Superfast as the preferred operator for the Rosyth ferry contract. Scottish Enterprise chose Superfast because they most closely matched the criteria specified by the steering group, which included the ability to run a ferry service safely and to an appropriately high standard.

  Scottish Enterprise do not believe that the circumstances of the earlier accident in 1999 necessitate a review of the decision to appoint Superfast as the preferred operator.

Ferry Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the rate of financial return assumed by Caledonian MacBrayne in its tender, in conjunction with a private partner, for the Northern Isles passenger ferry subsidy contract was an appropriate commercial rate.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Caledonian MacBrayne’s tender, in conjunction with a private partner, for the Northern Isles passenger ferry subsidy contract was submitted on a commercial basis and, if not, on what basis it was submitted.

Sarah Boyack: I can confirm that the tender submitted by Northlink, the joint venture involving Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd and the Royal Bank of Scotland, was based on a full economic return.

Ferry Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it assisted in any way with the tender made by Caledonian MacBrayne, in conjunction with a private partner, for the Northern Isles passenger ferry subsidy contract.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive did not assist Northlink, the joint venture involving Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd and the Royal Bank of Scotland, in the preparation of the tender submitted for the Northern Isles ferry contract. The limited costs incurred by Caledonian MacBrayne in bid preparation and in the start-up of the joint venture will be repaid from the return which Northlink is expected to earn for the company.

  Scottish Executive officials had a number of meetings and other contacts with Northlink representatives and its professional advisers, in order to provide advice to Scottish Ministers in their capacity as sole shareholder of Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd. Such contacts were necessary to enable Ministers to determine whether they were content for the company to submit a joint venture bid and to provide them with the information necessary to satisfy themselves that the terms of the bid would not involve any competitive advantage to the joint venture arising from Ministers’ ownership of Caledonian MacBrayne. A separation of duties was in place between officials engaged in that process and those considering the tenders submitted for the Northern Isles contract. That confidentiality arrangement will remain in place until such times as contractual negotiations are completed and a contract is awarded.

Food Labelling

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how consumers can be assured that food labelled "organic" is free from additives.

Susan Deacon: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency Scotland that all food is subject to The Food Labelling Regulations 1996. In addition to this, the labelling of "organic" foods is further detailed in EC legislation 2092/91 – Organic Production of Agricultural Products and Indications referring thereto of Organic Products and Foodstuffs. Consumers can therefore be assured whether or not "organic" food is additive free by reading the label.

Gaelic

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the Education and Training (Scotland) Regulations 2000, why classes teaching Gaelic are not included in the categories of education and training which qualify for 80% support, given that an aim of such Gaelic lessons is to enhance communication, an identified criterion.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: Under the definition of learning that is eligible for Individual Learning Account incentives, people will be able to receive grants of up to £150 for courses to learn Gaelic if they are in the first 100,000 applicants in Scotland. In most cases these grants should cover the full course costs. Later applicants will only be able to claim discounts of 20% as the higher 80% discounts are aimed specifically at people who have literacy difficulties, numeracy problems or who wish to develop basic computing skills.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to utilise private sector health providers in order to enhance patient care.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to use private sector hospitals to assist NHS patients in future.

Susan Deacon: The independent health care sector can be used by the NHS where NHS facilities are unable to provide a particular service or in circumstances when NHS services are under particular strain.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Ochil) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to improve access to pen needles for people suffering from diabetes and what discussions, if any, have been held with the UK Department of Health on this issue.

Susan Deacon: From 1 March, insulin pen needles and certain re-usable insulin pens have been prescribable by GPs on the NHS.

Health

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of neurosurgery beds, neurosurgery intensive care beds and specialist staff.

Susan Deacon: I have received the report of the short-life working group set up by the Chief Medical Officer and am considering its recommendations.

Health

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail each working group and advisory committee which reports to the Health Department including their remit, membership and timescale for final report.

Susan Deacon: It is   not practicable to list all the ad-hoc groups and bodies   that the Health Department works with in the development and implementation of health policy.

  Some of the main working groups and advisory committees are as follows:

  


NHS Modernisation Board 




NHS Modernisation Forum 




Action Plan for Dental Services in Scotland: Implementation Support 
Group 




Acute Services Group 




Access Research Project 




Carers Legislation Working Group 




Advisory Group on Infection 




Confidentiality and Security Advisory Group for Scotland 




CHD Task Force 




Clinical Resource and Audit Group 




Clinical Effectiveness Programmes Subgroup 




CRAG Implementation Subgroup 




Child Health Group 




Clinical Outcomes Working Group 




Chief Medical Officer Leadership Group on Public 
Health 




Delayed Discharge Reference Group 




Doctors and Dentists in Training – Dealing with 
Underperformance 




Health Monitoring Group 




Healthcare Services Sub Committee 




Joint Futures Group 




Local Health Care Co-operatives Reference Group 




Maternity Services Reference Group 




Millan Committee Review of the Mental Health 
(Scotland) Act 1984 




Minority Ethnic Health Steering Group 




Nursing Care Stakeholders Group 




New Deal for Junior Doctors Implementation Steering 
Group 




Patients Charter Steering Group 




Public Health Function Implementation Group 




Review of Public Health Legislation Group 




Scottish Partnership Forum 




Scottish Advisory Group on the Dental Workforce 




Scottish Advisory Committee on the Medical Workforce 




Scottish Advisory Committee on the Medical Workforce 
– General Practice Sub-Committee 




Scottish Advisory Committee on the Medical Workforce 
– Hospital and Community 




Scottish Integrated Working Group 




Scottish Council for Post Graduate Medical and 
Dental Education – Role Review Working Group 




Scottish Pay Reference and Implementation Group 




Scottish Health Plan: Governance Network Group 




Scottish Health Plan: Network Group 




Scottish Breast Screening National Advisory Group 




Scottish Cervical Screening National Advisory 
Group 




Scottish Breast Screening Programme Task Group 




Scottish Advisory Committee on Drug Misuse 




Scottish Executive Steering Group on Antimicrobial 
Resistance 




Scottish Breastfeeding Group 




Scottish Cancer Group 




Scottish Telemedicine Action Forum 




Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service User 
Group 




Short-life Working Group – Needlestick Injuries 




Short-life Working Group in Primary Care Premises 




Short-life Working Group on Relenza 




Spiritual Care in the NHS Steering Group 




Strategy Implementation Group 




Treatment of HIV and AIDS – Expert Working Group 




The Rehabilitation Technology Services Advisory 
Group 




UK Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot: Scottish 
Management Steering Group 




Underperforming Doctors: General Practitioners 
Working Group 




VJD Update Group 




Waiting Support Force Group

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether "postcode prescribing" will continue, given that B-interferon is being prescribed in Tayside and Grampian but not in Glasgow or Edinburgh.

Susan Deacon: It is a matter for each health board to determine its prescribing policy on drugs, taking into account advice from local Drug and Therapeutic Committees. When the Health Technology Board for Scotland begins work later this summer, health boards will have access to a single focus of national advice on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of health technologies, including drugs. This will help to reduce the incidence of so-called postcode prescribing in future.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to fund a comprehensive programme to check each patient’s resistance to drugs before treatment of HIV begins.

Susan Deacon: Antiviral susceptibility testing, which permits an assessment to be made of each patient’s resistance to antiviral drugs, has only recently been developed from research. The testing involved is very complex and requires considerable expertise, which is not yet widely available within the NHS.

  At present, antiviral susceptibility testing is used only when treatment fails. The Executive has made arrangements for such tests in respect of Scottish patients to be carried out by the Public Health Laboratory Service in Birmingham.

  The Medical Research Council is currently funding a trial towards developing and testing guidelines and establishing protocols for treatment, which would define the circumstances in which resistance tests would be of benefit. The outcome of this work should indicate whether there will be significant benefits from introducing a resistance test for all or some HIV patients, prior to commencing antiviral drug therapy.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to address any increased drug resistance amongst HIV patients.

Susan Deacon: Data collected by the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health confirm the continuing beneficial impact of antiviral drug treatment of HIV patients and do not suggest any significant increase in drug resistance.

Higher Education

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support is available to Scottish universities and other organisations to support and promote the use of their e-university and e-learning facilities outwith Scotland.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Higher Education Funding Council provides funding for superJANET, a network infrastructure in Scotland, which secures high-bandwidth connections for all higher education institutions in Scotland and Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs), which are local in nature and help speed up these connections. The council has also provided funding for a range of projects, which are developing approaches to online learning, such as the Clyde Virtual University project. More generally, the council is providing funding to support staff in the use of web-based tools for teaching and learning, as well as funding for staff development in a range of ICT skills.

  These activities are helping institutions to develop expertise in online and distributed learning. It is a matter for institutions whether they wish to offer provision in this mode, either in Scotland or internationally.

Housing

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make available to the Parliament the minutes of any meetings it has had with the Department of Social Security regarding any implications which housing benefit reform will have for the proposed housing stock transfer in Glasgow.

Jackie Baillie: Our Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Government sets out the principles underlying our working relationship with Whitehall Departments and ensures good communication where one administration’s work may have a bearing upon the responsibilities of another administration. In keeping with this we have kept DSS informed with the progress of the proposed Glasgow Stock Transfer and they have kept us in touch with their proposals for housing benefit reform.

  The Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information exempts from disclosure any information which would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion including internal opinion, advice, recommendation, consultation and deliberation (Exemption 2 of Part II). As our discussions regarding housing benefit reform and the proposed Glasgow Stock Transfer with DSS relate to the process by which a decision or policy has been reached, they are exempt from disclosure under the terms of the code. Both the Code of Practice and the Memorandum are available on our website.

Information Technology

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote the use of modern communication technologies by older people.

Ms Wendy Alexander: : Through its Digital Scotland initiative, the Scottish Executive is working towards pervasive and affordable access to the web for people of all ages in Scotland. We are committed to achieving universal access to the web by 2005.

  Specific actions to ensure all people may take advantage of the opportunities that ICTs present are the Community Access to Lifelong Learning (CALL) programme and the learndirect scotland initiative. More detail is provided below.

  The Community Access to Lifelong Learning (CALL) programme is funded by the New Opportunities Fund. CALL has been established to engage more adults in learning at a community level by developing support for ICT access to information and learning opportunities. Some £23 million has been earmarked for spending in Scotland. Among successful applicants for funding is Stirling Council for a project which aims to increase awareness and accessibility of information and communications technologies (ICTs) for older people, as well as enhance the quality of life of older people through the development of ICT skills.

  In addition, anyone anywhere in Scotland can now get online access to learning, at home, at work, or at one of a growing network of learndirect scotland learning centres. learndirect scotland is promoting its lifelong learning services to people of all ages and the Executive is offering Individual Learning Accounts to anyone aged 18 or over to help pay for the learning they do. ILAs are available on a wide range of learning. Amongst other things, the maximum level of discount of 80%, may be used for many basic IT skills courses to help adults grasp and exploit the opportunities that new technology presents.

International Organisations

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8570 by Donald Dewar on 28 September 2000, whether it will detail any international organisations which it has met with since 1 July 1999 specifically to discuss the World Trade Organisation’s activities and their effect on the responsibilities of the Scottish Executive; which Minister was present; when the meeting took place, and what the outcome was of the meeting.

Ms Wendy Alexander: There have been no such meetings. The regulation of international trade is a reserved matter but the Scottish Executive works closely with the UK Government where appropriate.

Lingerbay Quarry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate was made by it, regarding the Court of Session action by Lafarge Redland Aggregates Ltd. for an order in respect of the Lingerbay inquiry, before it made the decision to defend the proceedings, of the likely level of court expenses in the event that it lost the action and an award of expenses was made against it; what sums have been expended in connection with its defence of the action, and what estimate it has made of the legal expenses of its opponent.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The likely level of court expenses was not regarded as a determining factor in considering whether or not to defend the Court of Session action brought by Lafarge Redlands. No estimate of the possible expenses was prepared and final costs are not known at this time.

Lingerbay Quarry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the decision to refer the Report on the Lingerbay Inquiry to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) was within its powers; whether it will continue to refer such reports to SNH in future, and in particular whether it will refrain from referring reports to SNH where SNH has been an objector to the planning application.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Lord Hardie’s comments in relation to the Lingerbay case have been noted and it has been decided not to appeal against his judgment. A decision as to whether it might be appropriate to refer a matter to Scottish Natural Heritage in any future case will depend on the particular circumstances of that case.

Lingerbay Quarry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any decision on whether to appeal against the decision by Lord Hardie in respect of the Lingerbay Inquiry will be taken by its full Cabinet.

Mr Sam Galbraith: It has been decided not to appeal against the judgment of Lord Hardie.

Local Government Finance

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in the development of indicators of rural deprivation for use in the distribution of grant aided expenditure to Scottish local authorities.

Angus MacKay: The grant distribution formula includes a number of adjustments which take account of deprivation in both urban and rural areas. Following the review of the treatment of deprivation in the local government system, I have decided to adjust the Income Support and Jobseekers allowance data used in the formula to better reflect seasonal variations in employment in rural areas.

Ministerial Correspondence

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Transport and the Environment will answer my letter of 31 May 2000 regarding Caledonian MacBrayne.

Sarah Boyack: I replied to this letter on 12 July 2000.

Multiple Sclerosis

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4425 by Susan Deacon on 27 March 2000, whether it will direct any agency or body to undertake research into multiple sclerosis (MS) or take any other measures to actively promote research into MS, and whether it will make funding available for this purpose.

Susan Deacon: Within the Scottish Executive, the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health services and patient care within the NHS in Scotland. It fulfils this function by funding specific projects, proposed by research institutions, which meet acceptable standards. This role is well advertised throughout the medical and academic community. Although CSO has no proposals to promote actively or commission research projects   on multiple  s clerosis at present, CSO would be pleased to make funding available for, or contribute to, studies of a sufficiently high standard.

  More generally CSO provides infrastructure and support costs to the NHS to enable Trusts to participate in research being funded by the research councils and major charities. The Medical Research Council (MRC) is the main agency through which the UK Government supports biomedical and clinical research. CSO collaborates with other UK Health Departments and the MRC to develop and maintain an effective partnership for the promotion, funding and management of UK medical research.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which non-departmental public bodies have been abolished since May 1997.

Angus MacKay: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-11339 on 30 November.

Oil and Gas Industry

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer over proposals for a windfall tax on the Scottish oil and gas industry.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on a wide range of issues, including the offshore oil and gas industry.

Organophosphates

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any information on organophosphate poisoning available for those who may have been affected by it and, if not, whether it will make such educational materials available.

Susan Deacon: The Executive has not produced any such materials and has no plans to do so. General practitioners, who were advised by the Chief Medical Officer in July 1999 of the need to be aware of the possibility that patients may be suffering from organophosphate poisoning, are best placed to advise and inform patients, and to refer to a specialist in appropriate cases.

Payment of Invoices

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5094 by Mr Jack McConnell on 28 March 2000, what plans it has to ensure that private companies which are in receipt of public funding pay all invoices timeously, and are not able to defer payment in order to delay going into receivership.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Better Payment Practice Group (BPPG), which includes Government and business representative organisations, promotes best payment practice across the UK. All companies, whether in receipt of public funds or not, should abide by the guidelines issued by the BPPG. These can be found on the group’s website at www.payontime.co.uk.

Prison Service

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the advertisement to provide general medical practitioner services for the Scottish Prison Service was not placed in both the British Medical Journal (BMJ) General Practice edition and the BMJ Clinical Research edition.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  There was no requirement to advertise for this service and the SPS chose to do so only to stimulate interest from potential bidders. The SPS considered that a single advertisement in the BMJ and the Health Services Journal fully met their aim.

Public Sector

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with its policy on the location and relocation of public sector jobs in Scotland.

Angus MacKay: Mr Jack McConnell’s answer of 6 July (question S1W-8578, Karen Gillon) announced a preliminary examination of nine organisations to establish whether the option of relocation from Edinburgh should be examined further or in detail. The announcement also covered the setting up of three new bodies, where there is a presumption against an Edinburgh location, and the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency where a scientific review had been initiated into the feasibility of relocating to a site near Dundee.

  In relation to the new bodies I can confirm that, if the Parliament passes the necessary legislation to enable them to be established, the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care and the Scottish Social Services Council will not be located in Edinburgh. Decisions on the location of these bodies are expected in February 2001. The Minister for Justice announced on 11 October that the Public Guardian’s Office, which will eventually employ some 40 staff, will be located in Falkirk.

  The preliminary reviews of the other bodies are now complete. Further studies into the location of each of the following organisations will now be undertaken, and they will be completed by the dates shown. The studies will include detailed work on alternative locations and consider the individual circumstances of each body on a case-by-case basis.

  The Scottish Public Pensions Agency; decision by March 2001

  The Health Education Board for Scotland; decision by mid-2001

  sportscotland; decision by the end of 2001

  The Common Services Agency of the National Health Service in Scotland; decision by mid-2002

  The Scottish Arts Council; decision before 2003 in line with general review announced in Creating our Future: Minding our Past

  Registers of Scotland; decision by the end of 2004

  The dates set for completion of each review reflect operational factors, the timing of any lease breaks and the time necessary to secure new property if this proves necessary.

  The detailed reviews do not mean that a decision has been taken to relocate these organisations. The option of an Edinburgh location will be considered along with alternatives.

  In relation to the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporter’s Unit, we have postponed a decision about further consideration of the relocation issue until uncertainty about the status of the body flowing from the County Properties Ltd judgment is resolved. We have also decided that, because of particular operational links to other bodies in Edinburgh, further consideration should not be given to the Crown Office Management Services Group or the Scottish Council for Post-Graduate Medical and Dental Education’s facilities in Edinburgh.

  The scientific review undertaken to investigate the feasibility of locating the scientific work of the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency at a site adjacent to the Scottish Crop Research Institute near Dundee has been concluded. Its results indicate that ground conditions are not compatible with the agency’s work on the certification of seed potatoes. Accordingly, the agency will take forward its existing plans for relocation of this work in the Edinburgh area.

  As stated previously, our principal consideration is to ensure that government business is conducted efficiently, that high quality services are delivered to the public, and that Scotland as a whole benefits from sound decisions about the location of the Executive’s work. In considering alternative locations we will have regard to the aims of the policy and the position of staff, and we will seek the views of their trade union representatives and of the management of each organisation.

  The Scottish Executive will write to Local Enterprise Councils and local authorities about the process setting out the cost, efficiency and other criteria which will inform decisions.

Rail Freight

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made or intends to make to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the reduction or abolition of track access charges for rail freight in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including rail freight.

Rail Network

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is of the recently commissioned study into rail access to Glasgow and Edinburgh airports.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has allocated £15,000 for this joint DETR/Scottish Executive/Shadow Strategic Rail Authority funded study into the options for rail access to Scottish airports. This study is ongoing but we expect the total cost not to exceed £40,000.

Rail Safety

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2748 by Sarah Boyack on 29 August 2000, whether it will make available the detailed briefings received from ScotRail, Railtrack, Virgin Trains and Great North Eastern Railways outlining the further safety measures the companies intend to introduce on the Scottish railway network.

Sarah Boyack: The briefings referred to were given in the form of oral presentations during the course of several informal meetings held in November 1999.

Road Accidents

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatalities there have been in road accidents so far this year and in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) police force area and (b) parliamentary region in each case.

Sarah Boyack: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. Information is collated by local authority area and by police force area but not by parliamentary region.

  The table below gives the numbers of road accident fatalities for the years 1995 to 1999. Figures for 2000 are not yet available centrally. The information is broken down by police force area.

  





1995 


1996 


1997 


1998 


1999 




Northern 


33 


32 


48 


43 


36 




Grampian 


61 


40 


47 


58 


35 




Tayside 


48 


29 


28 


28 


40 




Fife 


17 


23 


24 


24 


15 




Lothian & Borders 


61 


64 


63 


73 


52 




Central 


14 


14 


22 


26 


10 




Strathclyde 


154 


128 


117 


116 


109 




Dumfries & Galloway 


21 


27 


28 


17 


13 




Scotland 


409 


357 


377 


385 


310

Road Accidents

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10349 by Sarah Boyack on 27 October 2000, whether it will give further details of the personal injury road accidents that have occurred in the last five years on the Strathblane to Aberfoyle stretch of the A81, outlining whether the accidents were slight, serious or fatal.

Sarah Boyack: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. The table below gives the numbers of road accidents which were identified in the STATS 19 returns as occurring on the A81 between its junction with the A891 at Strathblane and its junction with the A821 at Aberfoyle over the period 1995 to 1999 inclusive, that were classified as fatal, serious or slight.

  It should be noted that the statistics given below are based upon the data which are held in the central statistical database and which were collected by the police at the time of the accident and subsequently reported to the Executive. They may differ from any figures which the local authority would provide now, because they do not take account of any subsequent changes or corrections that the local authority may have made to the statistical information, for use at local level, about the location of each accident, based upon its knowledge of the road and area concerned.

  Injury road accidents on the A81 between its junctions with the A891 at Strathblane and the A821 at Aberfoyle, by severity.

  


Year 


Fatal 


Serious 


Slight 


All 




1995 


0 


3 


5 


8 




1996 


0 


4 


1 


5 




1997 


1 


5 


13 


19 




1998 


0 


3 


5 


8 




1999 


1 


8 


1 


10

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the expected commencement and completion dates are for work on the M74 north extension and whether workplace parking charges will be part of any requirement either to fund the scheme or as a condition to be met by any local authority to ensure the works proceed.

Sarah Boyack: A special project team is being established to take forward this large and complex project. The overall timetable for preparation, planning, land acquisition, any Public Inquiry and construction is presently estimated at around eight to nine years. The power to levy workplace parking charges is no longer part of the Transport (Scotland) Bill.

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding the scheduling of roadworks on the M9 and the A720.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has regular discussions with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding the planning and programming of roadworks.

  Discussions have been held prior to and during the current works on the M9 and A720 with the City of Edinburgh Council, West Lothian Council and the Forth Road Bridge Board to ensure the minimum disruption to the travelling public.

Roads

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the contract for motorway maintenance on the A90 awarded to Yuill & Dodds was awarded by the Scottish Office or by it, when the contract was awarded and how much it was for.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has not awarded any motorway maintenance contract to Yuill & Dodds Ltd.

Roads

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been allocated, or capital borrowing consent given, for specific road or bridge projects outwith the trunk road network since May 1999.

Sarah Boyack: Additional capital borrowing consent of £3.3 million is being made available to Clackmannanshire and Stirling Councils to complete the A907 Manor Powis to Tullibody road which is the major transport corridor between Stirling and Alloa.

Rural Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to provide revenue support to rural petrol stations.

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to support rural petrol stations other than through the rural transport fund.

Sarah Boyack: Revenue support to rural petrol stations is available through the Village Shop Rate Relief Scheme. Under this scheme, rural petrol stations may be eligible for up to 100% rates relief. The Rural Petrol Stations Grant Scheme provides funding to rural petrol stations to help with the capital costs of replacing tanks and pumps, meeting groundwater protection needs and installing tanks and dispensers for the sale of liquid petroleum gas.

Scots Language

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role school cultural co-ordinators will play in the promotion of the Scots language.

Allan Wilson: Cultural champions will identify ways of enabling all teachers to maximise the potential contribution of culture to young people’s education, developing their self-esteem and core life skills and looking for opportunities to widen the range of experiences available to them.

Smoking

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to evaluate the impact in Scotland of the White Paper on Tobacco, Smoking Kills .

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive will judge the impact of Smoking Kills in part by measuring Scotland’s performance against the smoking targets set out in Annex A of the Public Health White Paper, Towards a Healthier Scotland which was published in February 1999 (available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre).

  The Executive will also be monitoring progress in a number of other areas to check how the measures are working. Health boards are expected to monitor and evaluate the success of their smoking cessation initiatives. An independent survey on smoking in public places is planned to monitor the impact of the Scottish Voluntary Charter on Smoking in Public Places.

Smoking

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding the Health Education Board for Scotland has received specifically to address the priorities outlined in the White Paper on Tobacco, Smoking Kills , in 1999-2000 and 2000-01.

Susan Deacon: The total expenditure by the Health Education Board for Scotland on initiatives relating specifically to priorities outlined in Smoking Kills amounted to £749,544 in financial year 1999-2000 and £1.5 million in the financial year 2000-01.

Smoking

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to help doctors prescribe Zyban to smokers in areas of deprivation where smoking rates, particularly among women, are high.

Susan Deacon: All GPs can prescribe Zyban but it is most effective with the support of specialist services or counselling. Following the launch of Smoking Kills in December 1998, £3 million was allocated over three years to health boards for smoking cessation services and nicotine replacement therapy to be targeted at areas of social deprivation.

  Smoking cessation has also been identified as a priority for investment from the £26 million Health Improvement Fund. Health boards will be able to provide more practical support through the NHS for those people who want to quit smoking.

Special Advisers

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers to require special advisers to provide services to MSPs who are not members of the Executive and, if so, on the basis of what legal provision and whether such services should be publicly funded or funded by individual political parties.

Angus MacKay: Special Advisers are appointed to advise the First Minister in the development of Scottish Executive policy and its effective presentation. They discharge this role by carrying out a range of duties as required by the First Minister and set out in their contract.

  Special Advisers are appointed in accordance with Article 3(4) of the Civil Service Order in Council 1995 as amended by the Civil Service (Amendment) Order in Council 1999.

  Full details about the role and duties of advisers are contained in the Model Contract for Special Advisers, a copy of which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

Speech Therapy

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to complete its review of funding for speech and language therapy for children.

Nicol Stephen: Scottish Executive Education and Health Department officials have been consulting on the remit and timescale of the review of therapy services, in association with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapy. Ministers will make a decision on the final remit soon. It is hoped that the review will be completed by summer 2001.

State Hospital Carstairs

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-8826 by Susan Deacon on 14 August 2000, what programme of change has been established by the Chairman of the State Hospitals Board and what progress has been made in addressing the findings of the Mental Welfare Commission on the State Hospital, Carstairs.

Susan Deacon: The report which I have received from the Chairman of the State Hospital’s Board covers a range of measures designed to:

  improve multi-disciplinary working across the hospital;

  expand the range and availability of psychological interventions to benefit all patients;

  introduce systems to ensure that patients are given the right interventions and therapies at the right time, and

  improve corporate and clinical governance with the hospital.

  Some of these measures have been or are being addressed at present while others will require additional resources. When final decisions have been made on the funding consequences I shall reply to the Chairman. At that time, I shall be happy to fulfil the undertaking I gave to the Parliament on 30 March to report back to members and to the Health and Community Care Committee with further details of how the Commission’s recommendations are being implemented.

Telecommunications

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has powers, or any proposals to take on powers, to charge telecommunications operators for the right to lay cables under trunk roads and verges or to authorise local authorities to do so in respect of local roads and verges.

Sarah Boyack: No such powers are available, nor is it proposed to introduce such powers.

Transport

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to develop an integrated transport strategy.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive’s integrated transport policy is being delivered through action across a wide front, in particular:

  The Transport (Scotland) Bill will equip the Executive and local authorities with the powers to promote integration, address problems in Scotland’s bus services, tackle congestion and deliver free local bus travel to our pensioners and disabled people by October 2002.

  The Executive has increased its spending on transport, with an additional £500 million being made available by 2003-04, a 45% increase in real terms.

  The Public Transport Fund is delivering better public transport right across Scotland. I recently announced £33 million worth of expenditure, which will fund 19 new public transport projects, including measures to improve bus, rail and air services, and four specific cycling and walking projects.

  We need to improve the quality, reliability, frequency and accessibility of Scotland’s rail services and I will therefore be consulting shortly on our priorities for Scotland’s passenger railway.

  I also propose to publish a Transport Delivery Plan next spring.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to extend the remit of the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive (SPTE) to cover freight transport and what the reasons are for its position on the extension or otherwise of SPTE’s remit to include this issue.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no plans to extend the remit of the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive as, in common with all Passenger Transport Executives, it was established to oversee and address the passenger transport needs of metropolitan areas.

Water Authorities

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the increased expenditure resulting from the recent Spending Review will release any additional funding for the water industry and, if so, whether it will detail how much and over what period and what the implications will be for the water authorities’ external finance limits.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Spending Review figures were announced in resource terms. This means that Scottish Assigned Budget now scores the full capital expenditure made by the water authorities rather than just the loans and grants, otherwise known as the External Finance Limit, made to them.

  My predecessor announced on the 22 September the breakdown of the increases to the environment budget, which shows additional provision for the water industry. I will be making announcements about the allocation to each water authority in due course.